topic Re: Need Your Thoughts in Home

Need Your Thoughts

PAlady — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:06:30 GMT

DH and I are looking at possibly moving. We live in a two story home with a finished basement. It was built in the 1970's. We are looking for one floor living, ranch. I never lived in an open concept home. We have always had individual rooms in the house and not sure how I feel about having everything right out in the open.

I would love to hear your pros and cons on open concept vs individual rooms in a home.

We have just started to look and not sure if we like the open concept. I have been in one and am going to see a home tonight.

Thank you for all your opinions and comments.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Kachina624 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:15:08 GMT

You can buy a ranch that isn't open-concept and has walls and rooms. I live in one. I wouldn't want my messy kitchen open for the world to see. I need walls. In my area though, the newer houses do not have basements or attics. That may be a regional thing but it saves everybody a lot of money. We all have big site-built storage buildings in the back yard and of course, garages which store more junk than cars.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Group 5 minus 1 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:15:41 GMT

A rancy style home is not an open style home.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

mimomof4 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:21:41 GMT

After looking in homes that were built in the 60's and 70's and had the separate room concept, I prefer the open concept. Its a much better use of the space, especially if your home is smaller. Depending on your health situation the open concept is easier for you to move around as well. If you or your DH ever need to use a walker or wheelchair, its much easier to get around in the open concept than the separate rooms. I also think there are different levels of open concept as well. Some homes have an open kitchen living area but still have separate dining rooms/office space. The open concept give a larger more open kitchen as opposed to most of the homes I've looked at which were built in the 60's and 70 and haven't yet been reconfigured. My parents opened up their kitchen which made a huge difference in the look and feel of the home.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

On It — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:30:04 GMT

I love a ranch home but hate open concept. I would never consider buying one. It is an HGTV phenomenon that is beautiful as a newly finished product. The first dirty coffee cup on the counter is there staring at you and all your guests. The lack of privacy would really grate on my nerves.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

manny2 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:34:13 GMT

I have open concept, and I love it. It is really a preference, so good luck in your search!

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Janey2 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:36:16 GMT

I think you have to take each home you look at on its own merits. I do not like the full open concept. All I see is one big room with lots of furniture trying to separate the areas into different "rooms". I hate it when the kitchen seems to be in the living space, especially if you have company. In the end you have to decide what's good for you, and you will know when you walk into the right house. By the way rooms with walls are coming back. Everything seems to come around again.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Snowpuppy — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:36:48 GMT

If you're looking at a new build you'll likely find open concept all that's offered.

As @Kachina624 mentioned, no basement saves the builder $ but lack of walls in an open concept also saves the builder $.

If you look at a pre-2000 home you may find a basement and a less open concept but you'll likely have washer/dryer hookups in the basement.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

nyc1 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:56:57 GMT

@PAlady I LOVE OPEN CONCEPT. I've lived in several apts with more closed off rooms and in my current home (23 years). Open concept doesn't mean that as soon as you walk in you can see to the other end of the house and that there are no walls. There are degrees of how open the house is. I LOVE how light and airy it is and how easy it is to entertain. In my house there are no rooms that you can actually close off with a door on my main floor but there are walls in strategic places so there is some privacy. My neighbor had one the the bays of her garage made into an office so she has a room she can close off and the balance of the house is open. I know people with ranch homes and the same applies to their layouts... various degrees of open concept.

There are a lot of versions of Open Concept. Good luck with your seach.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Sweetbay magnolia — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:57:31 GMT

IMO, if you like the location of the lot and the neighborhood, that's the most important thing. As well as the quality of the build.

My home is 30 years old and there'd be no way to change the layout without big bucks and it's not worth it, IMO. There is some seclusion and partitioning, so I wouldn't call it "open", but it flows well. I see people he(( bent on a concept that may or may not make sense, simply for the sake of "the latest thing".

Good luck finding the home! Today, I'd be happy in an apartment, there are so many fix-its going on here.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

kaydee50 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:09:20 GMT

It depends. I don't like "loft style" layouts where it's just one big area. But I do like what I have where the kitchen is open to the living room. I think other things are more important in choosing a home than open vs. walls i.e., location, no stairs (a must!!, IMO) and condition of the house.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Eileen in Virginia — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:23:50 GMT

Our home is a 1960's rambler with a full basement and attic. All of the living space is on the main floor, so 2/3 of that floor is comprised of bedrooms and bathrooms. Obviously, you need walls there for privacy. The galley kitchen is closed off from the dining room and has a pocket door; the other kitchen wall forms part of the stairwell down to the basement. The living room and dining room form an L. While some of the more recent neighbors have knocked down walls to achieve an open concept design, I wouldn't change a thing. As Kachina mentioned, it's so nice to be able to close that kitchen door so the food prep mess isn't right out there for your guests to see. Also, if you make a traditional ranch house open concept, you have to think of other design solutions to avoid a bowling alley look.

When my in-laws were alive, they had a single level home in Florida. If I recall correctly, it was square in shape. The living and dining rooms were 1 big room with the areas defined by furniture placement. There was a full wall between the kitchen and dining room, which allowed for extra kitchen cabinets. They also had a breakfast nook off the kitchen and a lanai that ran along the exterior living room wall. The laundry room was between the foyer & one of the guest bedrooms and formed the entryway to the garage. Their HVAC unit was in a hall closet and their hot water heater was in a closet in the laundry room. Overall, I thought it was a very well-designed home for an elderly couple.

Regardless of what you finally buy, make sure it's what you really want. Don't be swayed by HGTV concepts. I worked with a guy whose sister was on one of the earlier House Hunters shows. He said they were coached to comment and/or exclaim over house features like open concept, appliance colors (black at that time), ceramic tile floors, etc. At the end of the day, you and your husband have to be happy in your new home. Good luck!

Re: Need Your Thoughts

faeriemoon — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:26:45 GMT

I live in an open concept house and I love it. I have always loved the open concept even before it became kind of trendy. Yes, the home is noisier, but i love the open feeling more than I dislike the noise.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

IamMrsG — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 19:49:52 GMT

To me, open concept denotes hollow, cavernous, loud. I’ve seen online, too, that the fad is beginning to fade.

The last time we moved, DH wanted a ranch, but with a basement. After a fairly severe knee injury, I came to see the light about no stairs. My other requirement was a main-floor laundry room. The days of carrying laundry up ‘n down the stairs were over.

We found what each of us wanted -- a full, finished basement for him and a main-floor laundry for me. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. I wish you equal blessings in your search, @PAlady .

Re: Need Your Thoughts

itsmagic — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 20:23:24 GMT

We live in what I think of as a partial open concept ranch. From parts of the living room you can see into the kitchen but from other parts you can’t so it’s not one big cavernous room. We do have a basement but never finished it so basically for storage. Our washer/dryer is on the main floor. This has been my favorite house of all I’ve lived in over the years. I have a couple friends who have lost their spouses and live in large two story homes and would like to find a one story ranch in this area but ranches are so popular right now that they seem to sell within a day of going on the market.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Bri369 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 20:30:35 GMT

I prefer an open-concept home. I don't like the feeling of being boxed into rooms.

The only issue with the ranch is how close are the bedrooms to the living areas and are you comfortable with that.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

stevieb — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 20:56:50 GMT

@PAlady I have to agree a one story home is a great idea and has many advantages as folks age, but nix to the vastly overdone and over-rated 'open concept'. Depending on the size of the house, I can see an advantage to having a family room/kitchen combination, but if space didn't permit me to have an extra sitting room separate from the kitchen area, then I'd prefer being able to close off spaces as needed.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

Tshirtgal — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 21:53:29 GMT

I have lived in both. Here is my experience. The open concept, contemporary Danish with vaulted ceilings and loads of windows, was very nice for large family, friends, and business entertaining. Loved it. I had a walk in pantry so my kitchen was tidy enough for people to hang out. It suited us in our 40's, 50's and early 60's. Then retirement happened - being home together 24/7.

In retirement, both my husband and I continued work at home so individual offices were a necessity for privacy and sanity. We both needed file cabinets, desks, computer and printer space, etc. We moved, renovated a farm house with rooms, and had two big offices built above a new garage with storage. It keeps the mess out of our living space.

My suggestion is to think about how you want to live everyday. My friend has open space and it drives her crazy because her husband set up his " office" on the kitchen island counter. Papers everywhere and he is always on the computer, which conflicts with the noise of her watching tv. And she has no place to sew and leave her quilting up while she is working on a project. Neither one wants to be in the basement. They are also thinking about moving. Good luck to you. 😀

Re: Need Your Thoughts

just bee — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 22:29:18 GMT

@PAlady

We live in an all brick one story home in Albuquerque. The outside is traditional. The inside is a nice combination of styles. You walk into the house and the foyer is open to the "great room." The kitchen is open to the dining area and hearth room. The foyer also has a large archway that is open to what could be used as a formal dining room. Right now it's our reduced library. The great room also has a large archway into the hearth room and dining area. Large windows in the great room reveal the patio and backyard. So, open but not too open.

The other half of the house, however, is much more "private." Two bathrooms and four bedrooms -- none "open."

But we have very high ceilings and an abundance of windows so it "feels" open.

You'll know what works for you when you're inside it. It will just feel right.

Re: Need Your Thoughts

jubilant — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 22:33:01 GMT

@PAlady This room (floor plan wise) is laid out almost exactly like mine. My kitchen is off the dining room and enclosed so my "great room" (as they used to call it) always looks neat and clean like this. My living room furniture faces the end wall exactly like this. Our fan and chandelier is also positioned as this. Behind those dining room chairs and table is a wall big enough for a buffet and cupboard (hutch) with another window between them. We don't have the one extra picture window. I love that..... when we have family over... we can set up another table and everyone can eat together at the same table. Also it allows for ample space if you want to have a baby or wedding shower for a bunch of people. The mess stays in the kitchen and it really cuts down on any noise you would hear in the main living area. I have been happy with it.